Professor
- Office
- McCone Building M207
- Tel
- (831) 647-4184
- rjourden@miis.edu
Renee Jourdenais joined the Institute’s TESOL/TFL faculty in 1998. She served as Program Chair of the TESOL/TFL program for almost a decade and then as Dean of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation and Language Education, overseeing the Institute’s programs in TESOL/TFL; Translation, Interpretation, and Localization; Language and Intercultural Studies; and Language and Professional Programs. An applied linguist, her areas of specialty include language teacher education, assessment, research, curriculum design, and second language acquisition and use. She has consulted on curriculum development and assessment around the world in the areas of language teaching, translation, and interpretation.
She has taught a wide range of courses including language, linguistics, pedagogy, assessment and research classes.
Courses Taught
Courses offered in the past two years.
- Current term ●
- Upcoming term(s) ○
EDUC 8670 - Practicum Capstone ●
The Practicum Capstone combines reflective practice and professional development in preparing students for a career in language education. Participants integrate theory, research, and conceptual foundations into a coherent and well-informed approach to planning and executing lessons. They also incorporate these three components when developing and deploying instructional materials and assessment instruments. Activities and products prepare participants for entering the language teaching professional and performing admirably therein.
Practicum Capstone Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):
Articulate their approach to language learning and teaching with explicit reference to sound pedagogical principles
Demonstrate their expert knowledge of language, learning, and teaching
Select appropriate materials for effective language instruction
Plan productive instructional units and lessons to maximize second language learning in all skill areas
Assess student learning meaningfully using a range of formative and summative tools
Reflect critically on their teaching practice in order to build on their strengths and address areas for improvement
Fall 2019 - MIIS, Spring 2020 - MIIS, Fall 2020 - MIIS
ICCO 8514 - IntroToInterculturalCompetence ●
Introduction to Intercultural Competence
Introduction to Intercultural Competence provides an overview of theories and approaches related to communicating within and across different cultural communities. The course addresses the complexity behind the concept of “culture” and guides students through greater awareness of their own culture(s) as they prepare to engage successfully with others. Students will examine and critically analyze various frameworks related to the development, training and assessment of intercultural competence and consider how identity and power impact both intra- and intercultural communication.
Fall 2019 - MIIS, Fall 2020 - MIIS
LING 8510 - Intro to Sociolinguistics ●
Introduces the interplay between language and society. Discusses regional and social dialects as well as the role of linguistic attitudes and language variation in language learning and teaching.
Fall 2019 - MIIS, Fall 2020 - MIIS
TIAG 8641 - Research Trends Trans Studies
Research Trends in Translation Studies
The course presents case studies from recent trends in empirical and historical Translation Studies, with special focus on the concepts and terms presented in Overview of Translation Studies. A critical analysis will be made of the research methodologies involved. Each lesson is structured around a practical piece of research that students have to complete in groups.
Fall 2020 - MIIS, MIIS First Half of Term
TIAG 8642 - Research Trends Interp Studies
Research Trends in Interpretation Studies
Contemporary research in Interpretation Studies establishes an intellectual foundation for a career in interpreting through enculturation in the community of research and professional practice. Introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of Interpretation Studies through multiple perspectives, including readings, classroom discussions, and interactive lectures by professors and guest speakers. Gives a general overview of past and present research and discusses why and how theory can be leveraged to enhance professional practice. Provides a multilingual forum for cognitive apprenticeship grounded in Schön's concept of the reflective practitioner. Creates an environment in which students can reflect on their learning experience and thus develop the skills required for consecutive and simultaneous interpretation more efficiently and effectively. Drawing on the Practicum in Interpretation and language-specific interpretation classes, students identify challenging areas in their own interpreting and conduct action research projects aimed at developing the skills and abilities to overcome these challenges. Research results are presented in class for peer discussion and feedback. Students are expected to complete an action research project that includes a ten-page paper.
Fall 2020 - MIIS, MIIS Second Half of Term
MIIS 8514 - Intro to Sociolinguistics
Intro to Sociolinguistics
Introduces the interplay between language and society. Discusses regional and social dialects as well as the role of linguistic attitudes and language variation in language learning and teaching. The dates of this course are AUGUST 24 through DECEMBER 11. Registering for this course signals your interest in taking the course. You will be notified via email on August 21 whether you can officially enroll in the course. . The dates of this course are AUGUST 24 through DECEMBER 11. Registering for this course signals your interest in taking the course. You will be notified via email on August 21 whether you can officially enroll in the course.
Fall 2020
ICCO 8562 - ICC Assessment
Purpose of course: ICC Assessment presents future professionals (international educators, administrators, advisors, teachers, and more) with both the theory behind and the practical application of intercultural assessment. This course begins by defining intercultural assessment and identifying a wide range of intercultural assessment instruments; next, it focuses on understanding specific purposes of assessment instruments as well as selecting appropriate assessment instruments; and then developing a needs analysis of a particular group for the purpose of implementing the assessment/s; and finally evaluating the assessment process and outcomes.
Learning outcomes: Students will develop an understanding of the art, science, and implementation of intercultural assessment tools in order to design, develop, and administer intercultural assessments to a variety of constituents.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
Understand the different intercultural assessment tools available and distinguish the purposes (as well as pros/cons) of each based upon the audience
Create a needs assessment of a specific target group
Select the appropriate assessment tools needed for specific audiences.
Prepare a guided learning experience through the use of an intercultural assessment/s
Evaluate the success of the target group’s learning outcomes
Spring 2020 - MIIS
Areas of Interest
Renee has always felt that languages are meant to be “used.” In that light, her work has focused heavily on the training of languages for practical purposes, and the Institute has been the perfect place to explore the intersection of language learning and language use in varied professional careers. Her research on cognition has examined how people come to focus on particular aspects of language as they learn language. Her explorations in pedagogy have focused on the use of relevant content to teach languages. Her work in assessment has been dedicated to developing appropriate forms of assessment for particular purposes of language use. She is particularly passionate about making sure that language learners (and language teachers!) are aware of the wide range of career options for language learners and that the learners are ready to put their languages to use in the fields that they’re passionate about!
Programs
Academic Degrees
Ph.D., Applied Linguistics, Georgetown University
M.A., French Literature, University of Florida
TESOL Certificate, University of Florida
B.A., French, Tufts University
Professor Jourdenais has been teaching at the Institute since 1998.
Publications
Mikkelson, H. & Jourdenais, R. (Eds.). (2015) Handbook of Interpreting. Oxon/NY: Routledge.
Jourdenais, R. (2009) Language Teacher Supervision. In M. Long & C. Doughty (Eds.). Handbook of Second and Foreign Language Teaching. Blackwell.
Cummings, M. & Jourdenais, R. (2005). Virtual role reversal for teacher trainers online. PacCALL Journal, 1, 94-114.
Jourdenais, R. & Springer, S (Eds.). (2005). Content, tasks and projects in the language classroom: 2004 conference proceedings. Monterey, CA: Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Jourdenais, R., & Shaw, P. (2005). Dimensions of content-based instruction in second language education. In R. Jourdenais, & S. Springer (Eds.). Content, tasks and projects in the language classroom: 2004 conference proceedings (pp. 1-12). Monterey, CA: Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Jourdenais, R. (2001). Cognition, instruction, and protocol analysis. In P. Robinson (Ed.) Cognition and second language learning, (pp. 354-375). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jourdenais, R., Ota, M., Stauffer, S., Boyson, B., and Doughty, C. (1995). Does textual enhancement promote noticing? A think-aloud protocol analysis. In R. Schmidt (Ed.), Attention and awareness in foreign language learning and teaching, Honolulu: National Foreign Language Resource Center.
